Have you ever gone to a great Web site and said to yourself "I sure wish I could do that!" This hands-on book shows you exactly how. It's a task-oriented no-frills introduction specifically for programming novices to the cool world of programming the Web by using the power of Microsoft® ASP.NET Web Matrix an easy-to-use WYSIWYG development tool for ASP.NET. You'll go from merely posting text and graphics on a site to creating dynamic slideshows reading and writing cookies building interactive guestbooks and calendars and developing other exciting Web features all with intuitive yet powerful tools. Along the way you'll discover how to create programmed data-driven Web pages for your home hobby or business in practically no time at all.

Topics covered include:

• Getting started: Introduction to server-based Web programming Microsoft ASP.NET Microsoft Visual Basic® .NET and ASP.NET Web Matrix; and configuring ASP.NET ASP.NET Web Matrix and Microsoft SQL Server™ Desktop Engine (MSDE 2000)

• Basic techniques: Your first Web Forms page creating a simple slideshow getting and applying user preferences creating a random quotes page and displaying a hit counter

• More advanced techniques: Introduction to programming Web pages with data using ASP.NET Web Matrix creating a guestbook and displaying formatted guestbook listings creating a database-driven slideshow updating master-detail tables creating a calendar application and sending e-mail notices automatically from a Web page

• Appendixes: Security vulnerabilities good security practices and your Web application; and deploying your application to a server